Which Kindle e-reader should I buy?

Proper book lover or casual reader? We’ve got the Kindle to suit you and your budget…

Kindles are great for anyone who enjoys reading, whether you’re checking out chick-lit on the train to work or are a bookish type serious about literature. Palm-sized and thinner than your favourite paperback, they store digital versions of books you download from Amazon.

From bestsellers like Girl On The Train and After You, to Roald Dahl and everything in-between, there are over 4 million Kindle books.

Kindles look similar to an iPad mini, with a large screen that displays each page in your book. It’s like reading a paperback thanks to the paper-like screen technology known as e-ink. But there are several different Kindles to choose from, each with its own benefits. Find the right one with our comparison guide…

For the commuter and bedtime reader… Kindle Paperwhite

In a nutshell: Design classic, with a fantastic screen in any light and long battery life

This is the classic Kindle, ironing out and improving on earlier designs – with a better screen able to cope with both bright and dim light. This makes it a great all-rounder, perfect for the morning commute and bedtime reading with the lights off later.

Paperwhite is the most-popular, best-selling Kindle. What’s more it doesn’t blow the budget.

Words look sharp and crisp on the 300-pixel-per-inch screen – more pixels mean more detail

Read outdoors on a sunny day with the screen’s sophisticated anti-glare design

Or in bed in the dark with the built-in light and improved brightness settings

Hold comfortably in one hand with the pencil-thin design that’s lighter than a paperback

For bookish types who want the best… Kindle Oasis

In a nutshell: The best Kindle to win over book lovers – bursting with sophisticated design and premium features

With the Kindle, Amazon have tried to recreate the experience of reading a proper book. With the Oasis, it gets closer than ever before.

It was designed for people passionate about books who want the best possible experience when reading. People who have previously not bought into the idea of e-readers. In the same way that an ‘avid golfer’ will ‘want to buy the best clubs,’ says Amazon. The Kindle Oasis has been ‘crafted from the ground up for reader’.

The best Kindle is naturally the most expensive too.

Read clearly in sunlight or the dark thanks to the redesigned front light with 60% more LEDs

Words look sharp and crisp on the 300-pixel-per-inch screen (double that of the original Paperwhite)

More comfortable to hold – 30% thinner and lighter than other Kindles and ‘designed to feel weightless’

Read for hours with a new design that rests in your hand like the spine of a book

Left-handed, right-handed or both? Kindle automatically rotates the pages as you switch hands

Turn the pages easily with the specially designed buttons or the touchscreen

Stay elegant and secure with the magnetic leather case included with the Kindle Oasis

Enjoy months of battery life with an additional battery built into the cover

Affordable and basic for young readers… Kindle

In a nutshell: The original Kindle lacks the advanced features of the other models but is great if you’re on a budget

Where it all began. The original Kindle first launched 8 years ago to change how we read. Every new Kindle has taken that idea further with better screen technology and more sophisticated design.

But the basic principle remains the same and you can find that in the latest version of the original Kindle. Although it lacks a backlight, and doesn’t have a 300 PPI screen, it’s a great budget option.

Considerably lower price than the Kindle Paperwhite

Good for children or infrequent readers who don’t want to spend much

Text is relatively clear on the 167 PPI screen

Read on a bright day with anti-glare technology

Comfortable to hold – thinner and lighter than the previous model

Turn pages and find new books using the touchscreen

Enjoy weeks of battery on just one charge

Get millions of books through the Amazon Store like the more expensive Kindles

Want to read at night? This isn’t the Kindle for you, with no backlight and less sophisticated screen technology.